Man shot in back during early-morning gunfight at Fall River bar

A man was shot in the back during an early Friday morning gunbattle sparked when two armed and masked men tried robbing Latino’s Cafe at gunpoint, police reported. The victim was trying to assist the bar owner, who had taken out his revolver — for which he has...

A man was shot in the back during an early Friday morning gunbattle sparked when two armed and masked men tried robbing Latino’s Cafe at gunpoint, police reported.

The victim was trying to assist the bar owner, who had taken out his revolver — for which he has a license — to defend himself when the assailants entered the bar at 296 County St. at 12:35 a.m., said Fall River police Lt. Roger LaFleur.

The victim was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with a gunshot wound to his back. He was listed in stable condition Friday and is expected to make a full recovery, LaFleur said.

The assailants remained at large Friday evening. The Fall River Police Department distributed a surveillance photo of one suspect who appeared to be wearing a hooded sweatshirt over his head.

Raosbel Guerra, the owner of Latino’s Cafe, said he had never before seen the assailants, whom he described as both being around 6 feet tall and wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts.

Only about five patrons were still inside the bar when the gunmen entered through the front door, pointing firearms and demanding everyone at the bar to give up their cash and cellphones.

Guerra said he was returning from the restroom when one of the gunmen grabbed him and threw him to the floor behind a pool table. The assailant pointed a firearm at Guerra while the other gunmen robbed the bartender and ordered her to open the register.

“They pulled me to the ground right over there,” Guerra said Friday afternoon inside the bar.

While he was still on the ground, being threatened, Guerra, a licensed gun owner, said he grabbed his revolver. He then reached out and grabbed his assailant’s hand, and shot him at point-blank range.

“I shot him right there,” Guerra said, pointing to his side.

The wounded assailant ran outside the front door. Guerra said he exchanged gunfire with the other suspect. During that exchange, a patron grabbed the gunman and tried subduing him, Guerra said.

The gunman who had left the bar returned to assist his accomplice. Both suspects then fled the bar, but not before shooting the patron who had tried helping Guerra, police said.

Guerra, who has owned Latino’s Cafe for seven years, said Friday’s shooting was the first such incident at his establishment.

Across the street from the bar, Michael Coward, owner of Talk of the Town Barbershop, learned about the shooting from a patron when he opened his shop Friday morning. A few hours later, he was still feeling nervous.

“That could have easily been me if someone came in with a gun, demanding all the money and everything else,” said Coward, who added that his wife is considering applying for a firearm license for protection. He added that the neighborhood had seemed to be improving recently.

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“I’ve heard of fights late at night, but I’ve never seen something like that. I’m shocked something like this, of this magnitude, happened,” Coward said.

The Fall River Major Crimes Division, the Fall River Police Crimes Scene Unit and Assistant District Attorney Aaron Strojny of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office are investigating. The Fall River Police Department is also offering a reward for information on the incident and the gunmen’s identities.